Mike Celizic

The New York Yankees don’t win the World Series because they got Bobby Abreu; the pinstripes still need a top-of-the-rotation starter to get that done. But Abreu is a major addition to the team who brightens considerably the prospects of getting into the playoffs. He also solves the problem of who is to play right field for the rest of this year and the next several years.

But he doesn’t solve the problems of a pitching staff that is very good, but not good enough. Barry Zito, if Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane parts with him, would vault the Yankees above everyone. At the moment, the New York Mets are said to have the inside track to Zito, though, and seem to be willing to give up top prospect Lastings Milledge to get him.

The Yankees, it is assumed, would have to part with Robinson Cano, their second-year second baseman and a great young hitter, to get Zito. It would be worth it. Cano has been injured and Miguel Cairo has filled in admirably in his stead. Cairo doesn’t hit like Cano, but he is a better fielder and has a knack for getting the job done.

Still, whether the Yankees land Zito — or even Dontrelle Willis — or not, getting Abreu is a good deal — a very good deal — for New York. The team gives up four minor leaguers without parting with pitcher Philip Hughes, the crown jewel of the Yankee farm system. In return, it gets a man with the third-best on-base percentage in the National League, an accomplished hitter and base-stealer with a .301 career batting average, and a darned good outfielder.

The Yankees have always believed that there’s no such thing as too much offense, and this deal does nothing to change that philosophy. In this case, though, the acquisition of another bat makes a lot of sense.

The team has done very well without its two corner outfielders, Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui, both of whom have been injured for most of the season. Matsui is expected back in August, Sheffield in September. But Sheff is in the last year of his contract and has been known to be sulky when he isn’t being treated with what he considers to be the proper amount of fawning devotion.

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As well as Melky Cabrera has played, and for all the heroics of Bernie Williams, penciled in as the DH before the season began and pressed into action in the outfield, the Yankees need outfield help now, and Abreu brings it.

Much has been made of Abreu’s power outage this year; after hitting a total of 54 home runs over the past two seasons, he has just eight this year. But he’s a left-handed hitter coming into Yankee Stadium, which was built for the breed. And whether he hits home runs or not, he’s got 25 doubles and 96 walks this year, has driven in 65 runs, and is third in the National League in on-base percentage at .427.

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